


I am Unfinished, I've Got so Much Left to Learn

by towardthesun



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Chronic Pain, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Hakoda (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Jee was criminally underused, Peace, Post-Canon, The Gaang Learns How Zuko Got The Scar (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27307471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/towardthesun/pseuds/towardthesun
Summary: It was inevitable that Ozai's fate would be brought up during their peace talks, but Zuko couldn't have imagined what the conversation would come to. He had hoped that Aang's choice to spare his father would have been enough, but it wasn't. In the face of opposition from all sides, and a lack of trust from his own nation, he only has one tactic he can use.Telling the truth.Many a fic has done it, but I'm going to do it as well, combined with some of my favorite headcanons, hopefully a bit of originality, and no understanding of how to properly title something.
Relationships: Hakoda & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Jee & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 87
Kudos: 815
Collections: avatar tingz





	1. I'll Tell You a Story

**Author's Note:**

> I have emerged to write? Another story? 
> 
> Is this fic being used as a way for me to not have to work on the massive amounts of projects I have for college? Yep. But I hope yall enjoy it!

“UNACCEPTABLE!” General Fong roared, slamming his hands onto the table in front of him and causing a rumble to erupt under everyone’s feet, “The Earth Kingdom will not be ignored and looked down upon by the Fire Nation and its pompous upstart of a leader,” 

Zuko bit the tip of his tongue, barely holding back the urge to start his own round of shouting. His palms were a dry heat, and he brought his fingers into fists to quell the flames beginning to start. The new Fire Lord was learning quickly that peace was not inherently peaceful, and compromise was next to impossible, especially after a hundred years of violence and bloodshed. 

They were nearly a month into peace talks, members of all four nations coming together to try and find a balance to restore their world order. Zuko understood that the other nations might have been upset to see him and his advisors having a place at the table, but it was necessary to see the fire nation restored to its origin, and for that Zuko needed to be in the forefront of the decisions. Not to mention, the talks were being held at _his _palace, in _his _council room.____

_____ _

Sometimes when Zuko was truly having an awful day, he liked to look around the room and be reminded of the progress it was just to have all of them sitting here. To have Aang at his right, and Sokka at his left. To know that his father was currently huddled in a prison cell left to rot and stew at the knowledge that water tribe “peasants” and earth kingdom “savages” were sitting around his war council’s table, ending his reign. Sometimes that helped, but not today. 

____

Today they were deciding Ozai’s fate. 

____

Zuko personally would have loved to leave his father’s end up to Aang and let the man’s ghost exist only in his dreams, but not everyone was as satisfied with that. People from all three remaining nations were clamoring for Ozai’s blood, and that was enough for it to be included in the peace discussion. Iroh had begun the debate with a grave acknowledgement of what rage and revenge had already done to the world. Zuko’s advisors had given their thoughts, the Earth Kingdoms Kings and generals had their say, and the water tribesmen had each been given a chance to speak, with Hakoda being the last of them. 

____

Finally it was left to Sokka, Katara, Aang, and Zuko to give their opinions. Toph had elected to not be in the talks today. She wasn’t required to be there, and she often didn’t come. The “ambassador” for the Earth Kingdom trusted her friends, and hated the formality of political discussions. Suki did not want any part of it when she found out what they were deciding, and had asked Aang respectfully to be allowed to leave. She trusted Aang, and didn’t want to undermine him, but if she was given the choice, she would choose death. Ozai was pure evil in her eyes, and she couldn’t see any reason to keep such a vicious vile creature in the world. Aang had given her his consent, thanking her for the sacrifice. Then they each spoke. 

____

Aang had gone first, reiterating that the Air Nomads had always pursued peace and mercy. As the last remaining voice for his people, he would not advocate for anything other than what had already been done. Ozai would never bend again, and he would never be free again, and losing those two was punishment enough. Then they had all turned to Zuko. This was where the troubles began.

____

“I am not ignoring the Earth Kingdom’s wishes,” Zuko said, trying to hold back his long suffering sigh, “I am trying to respect the Avatar’s”

____

Fong growled, giving Zuko a look of pure hatred. Zuko’s advisors gave their own looks of contempt, and he could hear Jee’s armor clanking as he shifted his position into a more protective one. Those from the Fire Nation were gearing up for an escalation. Zuko knew that he had to do something, but he didn’t know what. 

____

“Why should we hear your opinion in this, _Fire Lord _Zuko?” Fong sneered, and the diplomats from the fire nation all stiffened at the disrespect. They knew how Ozai would have handled this slight, but Zuko was an anomaly to them. They didn’t know how he possibly would react, “Obviously the monster’s son would wish to have his father live. I say this vote should be taken without him, or any of the fire nation dignitaries. What right do they have to tell us how we should deal with the man who terrorized our nations? Who tore down Ba Sing Sae? The whole family is corrupt and evil, and to have any of them on the throne is an insult. You should be in a cell right next to him,”__

______ _ _

This caused an uprising around the long table, various people all beginning to shout. Sokka was hurling insults towards Fong that were both creative and demeaning, and Katara’s tea had suddenly frozen over in her anger. King Kuei was doing his best to quiet his people, and Hakoda was calling off his tribesmen while trying to rein in Katara and Sokka, but it was Zuko who brought about the silence. 

______ _ _

He put up a single hand, and the fire nation nobles all went immediately silent. A small part of Zuko trilled at seeing that his people trusted him so deeply. It had been hard to weed out the bad, and took a lot of help from Toph and Uncle, but it was worth it to see such a display of loyalty. 

______ _ _

With no one willing to engage their argument, the Earth Kings and Generals went quiet, waiting uneasily to see how the new fire lord was going to handle this situation. Iroh was regarding him with a neutral expression, and Zuko knew his uncle wouldn’t be giving any direction until Zuko made a choice. But what choice would it be?

______ _ _

The Earth Kingdom leaders were equating him with his father. They saw him as a mini-Ozai, someone who would follow in the man’s footsteps, and make another bid for world domination. It wasn’t enough that he had taught Aang, it wasn’t enough that he had fought Azula. They needed something concrete, something that was a clear sign he wasn’t Ozai, that Zuko hated him, that he saw his father as a monster.

______ _ _

Zuko knew what to do. 

______ _ _

He let the sigh that was bursting to come forth go, placing his hands on the table palms down, taking a deep calming breath. A rush of warmth ran down the teen’s spine, pushing away some of the anxiety that was now racing through his veins.

______ _ _

“Do you know how I received this scar General Fong?” Zuko began, a decision seemingly made. The fire nation people stiffened, and Iroh let his eyes slip shut. They all knew what was coming, some of them had even been there. 

______ _ _

“I hardly see how that matters-” Zuko cut the earthbender off before he could continue. The younger had made his choice to share this story, and he would not be stopped now that he had started. 

______ _ _

“There are a number of different stories I heard. A training accident, a mistake made between friends playing at a game, even that it might have been a curse from the spirits on the royal family for all of the horrors of the war. I think that telling you the real story will show you exactly where my loyalties lie,”

______ _ _

“I was thirteen-” Zuko tried to continue, but his voice had just...stopped. Fear was gripping his throat, and he realized this was the first time he would ever be telling this story himself. 

______ _ _

Zuko looked down the head of the table, spending a moment with Aang, then Katara, and stopping on Sokka. They were all clearly interested, and Zuko resisted the urge to wince. This was the first time they were hearing this. 

______ _ _

This wasn't how he wanted to tell them, but now that he was here. He couldn’t stop. Sokka seemed unsure, but there was trust in his eyes, and a gentle understanding that was unique to the other boy. 

______ _ _

Zuko had never known anyone like Sokka before, but in that moment he tried his best to be Sokka. The tribesman was brave, braver than Zuko, unafraid to bear his soul to others when he needed to. He was also a gifted storyteller, and Zuko needed some of Sokka’s prowess to rub off on him in order to tell this tale. 

______ _ _

“I was thirteen. My father had been Firelord for four years, and my uncle had recently taken over my training. Overnight I had gone from being fourth in line for the throne, to being the crown prince.” Zuko gave Iroh an almost nervous half smile, and Iroh’s eyes were gleaming with pride. Zuko continued forward boldly.

______ _ _

“Uncle is a great advisor, but I had no knowledge of most of the courtly traditions, and I had a lot to learn. I wanted my father to be proud of me, I wanted him to see me as a worthy successor, and I knew that I had to do my best to be the best ruler I could. I was desperate to be on my father’s war council, to sit and listen to the strategies to bring our country to further greatness. Uncle always refused, but I pressured him to allow me in. I was given one rule- not to speak under any circumstances.”

______ _ _

Zuko stopped here, considering how to move forward, the best way to explain something he had never spoken about before in his life. 

______ _ _

“I sat where you are sitting now, General Fong, listening to our own generals share their thoughts and tactics. One general, Bujing, stood and proposed a plan.” Zuko stood himself, beginning a slow walk towards where the General sat, “He said that there was a concentration of Earth Kingdom soldiers, and to break their ranks he wanted to send in a single division- The 41st. They were entirely green soldiers, men who had never seen battle. One of the other generals asked how our troops would achieve victory, and Bujing said that he didn’t expect a victory. He expected them to fail, General Fong, to serve as cannon fodder to make your own troops weakened, so more seasoned forces could take on the Earth Kingdom and win.”

______ _ _

“Is that something you would do, General? Throw your own men into the fire, just to see if their bodies put it out?” The rhetorical question hung heavy in the room, and the leaders of the four nations looked at one another with discomfort. Sacrifices had been made on all sides, and it was obvious that some of those present were beginning to question those sacrifices. Sokka turned to Aang and Katara, a sinking feeling beginning to develop in his stomach. Zuko was on a journey now, and had no intention of stopping. 

______ _ _

“He said ‘What better to use as bait, than fresh meat?’” Those words were obviously a direct quote, the new Firelord’s face screwed up in a disgusted scowl, then flattening into an emotionless mask.

______ _ _

“I was a child, foolhardy and brainwashed by propaganda. I stood up against the general, speaking out against his heartlessness. The room was engulfed in flame, as the fires that hid my father raged at my outburst,”

______ _ _

The empty hearth and throne were ten times larger now, the significance of leaving them behind to sit at the table with everyone else was unspokenly understood by all. Zuko had never sat on the throne, and he already had construction going on for a new throne room, one where he would be visible to his people. 

______ _ _

“Fire Lord Ozai was angered, saying that I had disrespected General Bujing by speaking up on the soldiers behalf,” Zuko stopped halfway to his goal, turning to face his personal guard. His Lieutenant straightened up, “Jee, how is disrespect tolerated in the Fire Nation?”

______ _ _

“It isn’t Lord Zuko,” Jee responded automatically, as if he had known what was coming. Given that he was watching everything play out with a cool knowing glance, the others thought he might already know this story, “Something like this can only be solved in one way.”

______ _ _

“What way is that?”  
“Agni Kai, sir. A fire duel,”

______ _ _

“This whole thing is pointless!” Fong raged, throwing himself to his feet, “So your father had you duel an old master, and you got what you deserved by foolishly challenging him instead of apologizing for disrespect. What does that have to do with dealing with Ozai?!”

______ _ _

All of the fires in the room blazed, then dimmed. Every member of the fire nation was shooting darts at Fong, and Zuko was giving him the most deadly glare of all. It wasn’t Zuko’s normal anger, but a cold fury that rang around the room like a lightning bolt. and fell back slightly before doubling down on his position. Before anything could progress further, King Kuei stood as well. 

______ _ _

“Fong,” The Earth King said in a harsh tone, “Sit down and do not interrupt again. We aren’t here to start another hundred year war,”

______ _ _

The general may have not been afraid to fight against the fire nation, but under the pressure of his own people, he bent. Fong sat back down, and Zuko stared his own people into submission. After everyone settled, he continued.

______ _ _

“I can see why you misunderstood General Fong,” Zuko said tightly, “I myself was under the impression that I should have fought Bujing. Unfortunately, both of us were wrong. It was my father’s war room, my father’s meeting, and my father’s advisor that I had disrespected, so it was my father that I needed to duel.” 

______ _ _

“You fought Ozai?” Aang asked in a hushed tone, breaking the silence. Zuko faced him fully. 

______ _ _

These were moments where Aang looked young. Big eyes that were shining with trepidation and a tiny frown. He knew that Aang was the Avatar, that he had more wisdom and power than anyone in the room, but a part of Zuko wanted to have him sent from the room. This story was too harsh, too full of horror, and he wanted to protect that part of Aang that still saw the good in every single person. He was only thirteen, as old as Zuko had been when he lost that final part of himself. 

______ _ _

Had Zuko looked this young when he fought his battle? Had he seemed so innocent, so needing of protection? It didn’t matter, and there was no way he couldn’t finish what he had started. The teen gave one short nod, and a furious muttering filled the room. 

______ _ _

“I knelt to the ground, begging for forgiveness, refusing to fight. This was my father, the leader of the nation, more god than man in the eyes of all around him. He told me to fight again, and I refused, again. There were crowds of people watching, and no one raised a hand or said a word in protest. My father stood in front of me, and said that if I wouldn’t fight then I would learn. I would learn respect, and suffering would be my teacher,” 

______ _ _

Katara’s eyes were quickly filling with tears, and she grasped Sokka’s hand in a tight shaking grip. Sokka was also trembling, but in rage, not sorrow. He was almost unable to control himself, but a sharp squeeze from his sister forced him to remain still and silent. The Fire Lord, no longer being challenged by Fong, turned his back on the man, and began to walk back to his place at the head of the table. 

______ _ _

“My father took my face in his hand, and for a second I thought I had gained his mercy. I was wrong” 

______ _ _

Zuko’s hands were shaking. He didn’t know if anyone had seen, and he didn’t know if he would be able to stop them. He didn’t want to look up, didn’t want to have to see any of their reactions. But honor and duty bound him to face the rest of the convention. They were children in a temple, mice hiding in the scrolls of a long forgotten library, quiet and demure. 

______ _ _

“After our duel, Ozai said that by refusing to fight I was dishonored and weak, and he banished me. I was sent to find the Avatar. That would be the only way I could regain my rightful place, and go home.” Zuko was finished now, but the rest of the meeting was not. 

______ _ _

“But...but we didn’t find Aang until late last year,” Katara’s voice shook, and her tears finally began to fall, “The Avatar had been gone, presumed dead for, for a h-hundred years,”

______ _ _

“Exactly,” Zuko answered simply, and the implication there was more than any words. Sokka was frothing at the mouth, angrily cataloguing every face there. If any of them so much as spoke, he would find a place to finally redirect the fury consuming him. Aang was stony, the normally emotional boy cut off and staring directly ahead. An uncomfortable quiet had overtaken them all, no one sure how to proceed. No one, except Zuko.

______ _ _

“Yes, I want my father to live, but not because of any love or loyalty between us. I wish to respect the Avatar’s decision, I wish to lay the matter to rest, and I would like to let my country heal without having to scar it first,”

______ _ _

The word choice was impeccable, half the table wincing. Fong, thunderous but cowed, didn’t look up to face Zuko and the weight of the tale. Hakoda, calm in the face of any storm, cleared his throat. 

______ _ _

“Katara? Sokka?” The siblings both shook their heads, neither wishing to speak, “We’ve heard from all nations, and the Southern tribe is ready to take a vote. All in favor of death?”

______ _ _

Fong brought his hand up, still no hesitation. A few other Earth Kingdom Kings and Generals half heartedly raised their hands, clearly uncomfortable with being in the minority. The Fire nation did not bend, all of them keeping their hands firmly in their laps. King Kuei sat impassive, stroking his bear with a careful steady hand. A few of Hakoda’s fellow tribesmen slowly but surely raised their hands, and Sokka clung to Katara’s so he wouldn’t join them. 

______ _ _

He didn’t care that Aang had chosen, he cared that Zuko had chosen. Sokka could remember the nightmares that Zuko had silently suffered through when they lived all together, he knew the fear that the other teen had of anyone getting too close to him, and now he had a target for all of the anger. Sokka had always hated Ozai as a symbol, as the monster in the shadows that haunted them. Now he was real, a real human monster that had irreversibly harmed his brother. It shouldn’t be up to anyone but Zuko to decide Ozai’s fate. So, despite every bone in his body screaming for the evil horrid monster to burn, he kept himself quiet and unmoving. 

______ _ _

Bato dutifully counted the ayes, and said the number aloud. Zuko turned to Jee and gave him a single nod, and he began his own count. Jee repeated the number back to Bato, and the two men turned to Hakoda. 

______ _ _

“All Opposed?” Hands, then more hands, the numbers quickly double, then triple the number who were in favor of Ozai’s execution. The two counters looked at each other, neither needing to count to give the answer.

______ _ _

“We are at an agreement then. Ozai remains imprisoned for life.”

______ _ _

The whispers and quiet conversations swelled after the vote had been called. Everyone was shocked, no one knew quite where to go from this moment. 

______ _ _

“I believe it would be a good idea for us to take a break for supper,” Iroh finally spoke, his tone clearly leaving no room for discussion, “We can resume our meetings tomorrow. Everyone needs their rest.” 

______ _ _

Zuko stood, and his people stood after him, all eyes on their leader. He turned to face them, shaky in the face of his past, and unsure of what to do. They were expecting greatness from him, strength, and an unbreakable spirit. But Zuko was broken, hurt and scarred in more ways than one. 

______ _ _

He had survived, but he was no longer the same boy that had agreed to that Agni Kai. He still didn’t know if he was what was best for them. Uncle thought so, and his friends said he was doing the best he could with a bad situation, but that didn’t change the fact that Zuko felt like a failure of a leader. Sharing this story had brought back his feelings of shame, his inadequacy. The impasse was growing, and Zuko was overwhelmed with the thought that he had to say something, be a leader for his people. He was overwrought, tired beyond belief from endless weeks of compromise and fear, and this was just one thing too many. 

______ _ _

What more could he say? What more could he do? How could he show them that he would do anything necessary to bring them the peace they deserved? How could he gain their trust? 

______ _ _

Moving as one, every member of the Fire Nation in the room bowed low in reverence to their young Fire Lord, making the decision for him.

______ _ _


	2. Of Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hakoda is just doing his best to protect all of those he considers his children

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo we wait on Lieutenant Dad. I had so much trouble writing this part, and on top of finals I decided to just give you Hakoda's half first. Sorry if it's trash, I don't know about how I feel about this part. I think it's pretty good, but that's also me. Hopefully you enjoy!
> 
> Plus Biden got elected so here's a gift

Hakoda had heard plenty of stories about the banished prince’s scar, but he could never have imagined which of those stories was true. 

There was a certain camaraderie amongst all who had participated in the war, and camaraderie brought talk. It was a long winding road of stories, and it often led to dead ends. It was as unreliable as it was interesting, a tightly woven net of misinformation. 

The fire nation soldiers talked to the merchants in the colonies, and the merchants talked to the traders that brought them goods, and then those traders might have had a wild story or two to embellish for a couple of water tribe sailors. It was far too many mouths for the stories to hold true the majority most of the time. The chief had even heard through the grapevine that he himself had been captured on a few occasions. So, when he heard about a banished prince, a dishonorable duel, and a quest to find a figure that had been missing for a hundred years, Hakoda had played it off as yet another wild tale made up by a bored scout. 

He was seriously regretting that decision now.

The room had reeled after the story, and then the display of the fire nation nobles had made everything spin even faster. It was a clear signal, not only a show of support, but also one of solidarity. This leader proved himself; they were choosing to follow him no matter the decision. Hakoda had to hand it to the Fire Nation- When they wanted to send a message, they were not subtle about it. Zuko’s one good eye had gone impossibly wide when he saw his nation falling into step behind him, but the teen managed not to outwardly gape. Most of the rest of the peace council could not say the same. He had just given them a simple bow back, not quite as low, and turned away to speak to his guard. 

The dignitaries took the bow for the polite dismissal it was. They began to file out of the room, only Jee and a single advisor staying behind the confer with the Fire Lord. Now that he was alone and the dramatic tension was beginning to dissipate, it was easier to begin to parse out how Zuko actually was handling the aftermath. 

The teen was good at keeping a neutral expression, but Hakoda was well versed in understanding silent social cues. 

His hands had started shaking after Fong’s second outburst, and his eyes glazed over in memory. Although he was clearly not a natural storyteller, Zuko had done well in keeping them all enthralled. Without raising his voice beyond a measured snap, the teen had kept a group of world leaders in his hand as he told his tale.

Now that composure was beginning to slip. He was taking measured breaths, but they were forced. The shaking was beginning to travel from his hands up his arms. Zuko was hiding it well, but he was clearly close to breaking, and seeing the trust being placed in him hadn’t helped. It seemed like just one pressure too many, and the cracks were beginning to slip through. 

“This was not an easy experience for him,” A voice from behind startled Hakoda out of his study. It was General Iroh, slowly making his way to Hakoda’s side. He was gazing past Hakoda with a grave expression, catching all of the signs that Hakoda had seen. The man rarely looked his age, but right now he seemed ancient. An old grief was written in his features. The General always seemed somewhat larger than life, but not now. Now he was an old man, weary of the anguish that men could cause one another, and exhausted by the never ending nature of humanity’s suffering. 

“Could I interest you in a game of Pai Sho, Chief?” Iroh sighed. At Hakoda’s questioning look, Iroh continued, “Knowing my nephew, he won’t want to speak about what has been revealed. I tried for many years, and he never once told me a thing...He has his reasons for not trusting me with that information though.”

“You were there,” It was a statement, not a question, but Iroh nodded anyway. A flash of flaring anger lit in Hakoda’s chest. 

He had always seen Iroh as different, not like the rest of them. He knew that Iroh had once laid siege to Ba Sing Sae, but that seemed far removed from the real Iroh that Hakoda felt that he knew. They were both the real Iroh though, and this admission was bitterly reminding Hakoda of that fact. There was the Iroh that his daughter adored, the Iroh that was gentle with Aang and patient with Zuko, and there was the Iroh that had stood by and allowed the child he loved so fiercely to be branded by his own father. They were one and the same. 

“You didn’t stop him,” Hakoda tried not to accuse Iroh, but it was next to impossible to keep the judgement out of his tone. Unfortunately it seemed that the elder not only heard it, he also agreed with it. 

“Trust me Chief, it is a decision I regret more than any person could understand. I do what I can to atone now,” Hakoda believed him, but it didn’t make it any better. It didn’t matter how much Iroh regretted, it had still happened. Zuko had still been hurt. The Fire Nation had still wreaked havoc on the world. Hakoda had always viewed regret as a wasted emotion, and he still thought that. What good could lamenting the past do to help the future? How did Iroh's regret help Zuko?

“We all wish to spare our children pain, but pain is inevitable. The truly strong learn to regard pain as the tool that it can be.” 

Part of Hakoda wanted to start an argument with Iroh, force him to admit he was wrong, but it would be a futile attempt. Getting angry with Iroh wouldn’t be productive. It wouldn’t add, it would only waste the time that Hakoda needed now. 

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll skip the Pai Sho for now,” Hakoda responded, “I have some people that need me now,” 

Iroh nodded, humming and turning away from the chief. It felt like both an agreement, and a praise. Hakoda no longer cared much what other people thought them, but earning Iroh's approval was a rare and beautiful thing. 

“Wise Earth King, could I interest _you _in a pre-dinner game of Pai Sho?” Iroh tried instead, regaining his congenial attitude and helping to clear the room, “I heard that your ministers have been teaching you some new forms,”__

__Kuei smiled and nodded his agreement to the game, beginning to walk out the door with Iroh, a signal to the rest of the Earth Kingdom group to begin to disperse. Fong was positively mutinous at this, and he looked like he was about to protest. Luckily General How and two others were already striding forward to bring the other man back to his senses._ _

__Hakoda had never worked personally with Fong before, but he knew the man’s style. Katara and Sokka had told him the stories of their encounters with him, and after hearing what he did in his prisons, Hakoda knew enough to say he didn’t like the guy. Today had only cemented that. With Fong taken care of and Iroh helping to get everyone else out of the way, Hakoda had decisions to make._ _

__He knew his rightful place now. As the Southern chief he was supposed to meet with his tribesmen in a secure location. He needed to hear what they had to say, then come to a decision together as one. Then they would go to the Northern men and hear their decision, and debate long into the night. The goal was to present a united front to the rest of the world, to show that despite being divided by an entire world, they were still together._ _

__Hakoda knew that logically, but there was the logical path for him as a chief, and there was what he had to do to guide and care for his children. One glance at Sokka’s raging eyes and Katara’s open weeping, and Hakoda knew there was no chance he was going to be joining his men, not for quite a while._ _

__As a man, he had made so many sacrifices that had hurt his children. He had chosen the war over raising them, chosen leading his men over guiding them out of the pain they had over losing their mother. It was the right choice to end the war, and he wasn’t a man who had regrets. But the war was over, and now he wanted to be able to put being a father over being a leader. The men were beginning to gather, some casting furtive looks at Hakoda and his children, others less subtle._ _

__Thank the spirits for Bato._ _

__His second in command was quick on the uptake, acting without even having to consult Hakoda. The two shared a conversation of the eyes, short and to the point. Bato gave his brother in arms a half smile and inclined his head towards the kids. Then he began to shepherd the other tribesmen out another door, luring them away from what could have been good gossip with the promise of food and drink from their homeland. There was enough blubbered seal jerky and silver moon ale to keep men from both of the tribes distracted, and now Hakoda could focus on helping his children. All of his children._ _

__Aang, Sokka, and Katara hadn’t moved yet, still floored by what had been finally revealed to them. Zuko was continuing to keep up appearances with his final advisor and guard, and he would be preoccupied for a while. Time to divide and conquer._ _

__Sokka would have to be first. Katara would have been the easiest to begin with, but Hakoda knew his children. Sokka was a lot like him, smart and logical with a good head on his shoulders, but both of his children had inherited their mother’s temper in different ways._ _

__Kya had a ferocious anger in her, usually hidden under layers and layers of kindness and compassion. Normally it was Katara that channeled her mother’s spirit, but Sokka could also tap into his own hidden well of rage. On the rare occasions that Sokka got angry, he needed to be dealt with and fast. Katara’s anger burned bright and fast, but his son’s could linger and fester if not managed._ _

__Hakoda started his walk over, mentally parsing out how he would go about trying to calm Sokka down. Once the fog had lifted, Sokka would pull himself out of his anger, and after that the process would be fairly quick. It was that initial push out of rage that would be most difficult._ _

__Hakoda reached the other side of the table, sitting down at his son’s left. Aang was lost in his own world, and Katara was still crying, but Sokka was more aware than ever. He knew his father was here, and he knew why, and he didn’t like it. The chief sighed heavily, bringing up a hand to put on Sokka’s shoulder to try and start the terrible conversation_ _

__“Don’t. I’m not going to calm down.” Sokka ground out right before his father’s fingers made contact with his shoulder, his blue eyes snapping in fury. Katara’s cries played a mournful harmony in the background, and Hakoda’s heart broke again for his children. They were too young for this, far too young. Zuko had been too young too._ _

__“You have to,” Hakoda responded back in the same blunt tone, knowing that his child needed facts and logic in the moment, not gentle words._ _

__“Dad,” The teen’s voice raised slightly, attracting the attention of the final few Earth King nobles. Hakoda gave them a sharp glare, and they scattered._ _

__Hakoda had expected this, and he wasn’t upset that Sokka had decided that he was the one he wanted to lash out at. Even before he had a sister to watch over, the boy had found abandoned tiger seal pups, and lost otter penguins and given them shelter and love. He acted nonchalant, but it was a brittle shell that hid a deep rooted love. As a protector, Sokka collected people. Once someone had earned his loyalty, he would keep them safe and cared for. Learning this was incomprehensible._ _

__“Sokka-” Hakoda began, reaching out again. Sokka slapped his father’s hand away_ _

__“Stop! Don’t tell me how I should feel about this!” His outburst was louder now, but no one was in the room to hear it except those who wouldn’t care. Sokka’s eyes immediately widened when he realized what he had done, and he turned away from his father, clenching his hands into fists on the table in front of him._ _

__Hakoda was suddenly hit by the outrageousness of the story he had just heard. Zuko had done less than what Sokka had just done, and he had been forced to fight in a battle then banished by his father._ _

__He tried to imagine it, tried to imagine challenging thirteen year old Sokka to a duel. His son, his sweet son who had still had baby fat clinging to his cheeks then. His son, who at that point had still believed in the good of the world despite growing up during the horrors of war. His son, who had only then just mastered how to effectively throw a boomerang._ _

__At thirteen Zuko couldn’t have been very far into his firebending training, certainly nowhere near the level of Fire Lord Ozai. Hakoda tried to conceive a situation where he would have felt compelled to fight his son, much less maim and banish him from his home, but he couldn’t. Nothing Sokka could do would have ever made Hakoda done even a fraction of what Ozai had done to Zuko. No father who truly loved his child would have ever considered such a punishment for something as innocent as speaking out of turn, and it was time to remind Sokka of how a good father would react._ _

__Hakoda reached out again, his hand enveloping Sokka’s. The boy’s knuckles had gone white with tension, and the color came back as Sokka relaxed his grip. Sokka relaxed his, and Hakoda tightened his own, cataloging the differences in their touch._ _

__His son was fast growing, but his hands were still smaller and softer. He had calluses, but not the way Hakoda did. There were still parts of him that hadn’t been hardened, and a rush of irrational gratitude flooded Hakoda at this small detail. There were still parts of Sokka that were soft, still places where the harshness of the world hadn’t ruined him._ _

__The chief saw the anger beginning to slowly leak out of Sokka, leaving his son hollow and wounded. A balloon losing air, when he pulled Sokka close to him, he didn’t fight. Hakoda let their foreheads rest together, a thing he hadn’t done since the night Kya died, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. Sokka, consciously or unconsciously, matched his breath to his father._ _

__“I’m still angry,” Sokka whispered, his voice so low only the two of them would hear it, “I’m so so angry, Dad.”_ _

__“I know, son” Hakoda murmured. He wasn’t sure that he could ever know the full emotions that his boy was going through now, but the chief did his best to remember what he had felt like when Bato had been injured. The pain, the fear, and the all encompassing fury that had whited his vision and made him kill the rest of the soldiers with his bare hands._ _

__“I want to kill him. I want him dead,”  
“Your family needs you now. They made a decision, and now they need you to honor that and protect them,” _ _

__Sokka stayed connected a second more, then pulled back, pushing away his emotions and nodding sharply at his father. Hakoda had used old words, a language that was understood between protectors. The young warrior was still angry, he would probably always be angry, but he would put making sure Zuko was taken care of above the need to take revenge on Ozai. Hakoda put a warm hand against Sokka’s shoulder in a final gesture, then began to move. His son, the smart boy he was, knew what his father was trying to do, and acted. Sokka moved out of Hakoda’s way, sitting to his right so that Hakoda was knelt in front of Katara._ _

__One child down, one to go._ _

__Hakoda had barely moved past Sokka when Katara had pushed herself into his arms. She had stopped crying by this point, but she was still in the aftermath of the wave of emotion. She was a heavy weight against his body, her arms strong as steel around his middle before he could even react._ _

__“Why?” She said, the sound muffled by her position. Just that one word was enough to cause a sharp pain to spike through Hakoda. He knew Katara had seen terrible things, he knew she had dealt with some of the worst monsters that the world had to offer. She could handle bad things, but this was more than bad. It was personal, and it cut into her good core. He didn’t know what he could say, what he could do to try and mend an injury like this._ _

__When they had lost Kya it had been hard, but Hakoda knew what to do. Remind Katara that her mother was not gone, that she lived on in the moon, and the ocean, and in all of them. Zuko wasn’t dead, Zuko was just incredibly hurt, and Katara was a healer who couldn’t fix that hurt._ _

__“I don’t know sweetie,” Hakoda let his chin fall on her head, bringing his arms protectively around her, “I just don’t know,”_ _

__Hakoda could have come up with some diatribe about the evils of the fire nation, or the wrongness of the situation. He could have easily assuaged her that only a monster like Ozai would have done something like this, but then what did that make people like Fong? What did that make people like Toph’s parents, who had imprisoned her and pretended that she didn’t exist in the world? There were bad people from every nation, wicked people didn’t only come from one end of the earth, but Hakoda couldn't bring himself to expose that rotten ugly side of the world to his beautiful little girl._ _

__No, Hakoda would shield his daughter from the injustice for as long as he could. Iroh may have thought that pain was inevitable, and Hakoda might have agreed with him, but not all pain. Some pain was avoidable, some pains should never come to fruition, and when those pains did it was inexcusable. What had happened to his children’s friend was inexcusable, but Hakoda could only help in the ways he knew how._ _

__“I’m okay,” Katara murmured, still held tightly in her father’s arms. Her face was still buried in his chest, and he let a hand pet the back of her hair._ _

__“It’s okay if you’re not,” Hakoda tried, wanting to bring Katara just a shade closer to him, but knowing she wouldn’t budge now. Sure enough,she shook her head, beginning to pull away from him. Katara still hid so much of her pain inward, and as much as Hakoda wanted to be the person she went to, he knew he wasn’t._ _

__Katara was more likely to go to Sokka than him when she had a nightmare these days, and although he would never tell her, that crushed Hakoda. Knowing that he had missed his chance to comfort his little girl, knowing that she didn’t expect to have him there to support her. He was so incredibly proud of Sokka, but there were things that a father was meant to do, not a brother._ _

__Hakoda had reluctantly relented, knowing that eventually Katara would speak to someone. She had brought her emotions back in, and Hakoda no longer knew the exact combination to unlock them again. He was here for her now, and he would be here for her if she needed, but the best thing he could do for his waterbender was let her go. So he did, releasing her from his arms with a final squeeze._ _

__His two children were now taken care of, but there were others that still needed him. Hakoda stood up, hearing his knees cracking into their proper place. He was getting a bit old for dealing with severe emotional traumas, but there were things that fathers had to sacrifice to care for the children they took in._ _

__Hakoda looked past Katara to where Aang was. The young monk had barely moved since the chief had begun to try to smooth out the rough patched, only going through the motions of petting the lemur sitting in his lap. Hakoda wasn’t sure when the lemur had arrived, but it didn’t seem to be helping Aang all that much. His eyes were further than Zuko’s had been_ _

__“Aang?”_ _

__“I’m alright,” The youngest was exceptionally monotone, saying this as an automatic response. He seemed to have been waiting for someone to ask him that question, and the real boy was still locked somewhere deep inside of himself, “I just want to talk to Zuko,”_ _

__Hakoda didn’t know Aang like he knew Katara and Sokka. He didn’t know the tricks to get Aang to calm or feel less hopeless, and it felt a bit above his skill level to try and comfort the Avatar. Iroh seemed like the type to be able to break through to Aang, their matching nonsensical wisdoms played off one another well. Hakoda was a chief, but to a nomad that didn’t carry much weight._ _

__“Then let’s go talk to him,” Sokka said, interrupting Hakoda’s musings. The listless storm that his son had been rocking in seemed to dissipate, leaving behind the leader that Hakoda was beginning to see form in his boy. Pride made his chest lighter, and he gave Sokka the warm smile that always seemed to please the boy so greatly. Sokka walked over to Aang and held out a hand, unspoken words crossing between them._ _

__A bit of Aang’s spirit finally returned to his eyes, and the room seemed to get caught in that glow. They turned around as a group to face the front, realizing with a start that they were the only people left in the council room._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo good? Okay? I hope? 
> 
> I have many many many things on my to-do list, so I don't know when the next part is going to be out, but I promise it will be soon!!! Hopefully this part isn't too rambly? I feel like it might ramble at places, and I know you guys might have been waiting for Aang Hakoda dadhood, but I didn't see how Hakoda would know how to comfort Aang. He barely met Aang! Don't worry, Aang will get to hug Zuko, and that will make things better. 
> 
> Lieutenant dad is coming, he is inevitable, but we had to have water dad first

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter is just all dads. Dadkoda, DadJee (Lieutenant Dad? We need a good name for him) all of the dads. Iroh might make an appearance? I dont know I might go hog wild. I just really like that "Zuko attracts dad figures like moths to a traumatized flame" spirit energy.


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